


Worthy of Love (Hajime Hinata x Reader Fanfiction)

by UrbanDeity



Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Non-Despair (Dangan Ronpa), Gender-Neutral Pronouns
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-16
Updated: 2021-03-16
Packaged: 2021-03-25 13:00:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,583
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30089451
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/UrbanDeity/pseuds/UrbanDeity
Summary: As part of the 77th Class of Hope's Peak Academy, you were immediately branded with a reputation as an elite student, surrounded by similar elites. Despite these talented personalities surrounding you, the one that truly caught your eye was that boy in the Reserve Course.
Relationships: Hinata Hajime/Reader
Comments: 1
Kudos: 14





	1. Chapter 1

Obeying the torrential demands of your 7 AM alarm, you woke up and opened your phone to turn it off. Once the shrill beast was silenced, you sat up in bed and leaned against the headboard.

 _So tired..._ You sighed, reluctant to leave your bed and prepare for class.

It was your third week of your first year at Hope's Peak as part of the 77th Class. You were scouted out and labeled the Ultimate Tailor due to your immense ability to create garments, dresses, costumes, and suits of any variety. "Tailor" was a bit limiting in terms of titles, as you could do much more than the average tailor. While tailors tend to simply modify garments to fit their client, your area of work extends through the entire process of creating an outfit, from finding raw fabric to finishing a costume complete with ornate details. Your work had been used in Broadway productions, fashion shows, and even purchased by royalty. You took pride in your work and felt deserving of your place at Hope's Peak.

You left your bed and moved to the bathroom of your dorm, washing up and getting ready for the day. You had your own wardrobe of clothes and preferred them to the school's provided uniform. The principal had offered you the option to design and create new uniforms for the students, and you responded by promising to consider it.

Dressed and ready, you tucked your dorm key into your school bag and left your room.

On your way to the cafeteria you ran into Sonia, the Ultimate Princess. She was a dazzling beauty, as always.

"Good morning!" She had just exited her dorm and moved to walk alongside you.

"Good morning, Sonia." You smiled gently.

"How did you sleep?"

"Very good. I just replaced the school-issued bedding with a custom bedding set that I created. The material is incredibly comfy!"

"That sounds wonderful!" Her face lit up with genuine interest. "I may have to request a duplicate for myself."

"I'd be happy to do that for you, among my other commissions." You tried not to think about the heap of jobs and commissions from various elites and companies. There was a lot of work you were behind on.

You entered the cafeteria with your princess classmate, greeting the rest of your class. Well, not your entire class, but at least the students who had also woken up on time.

"Good morning, everyone!" Sonia greeted the group brightly.

"G'morning, Sonia!" Kazuichi leaned back in his chair almost too far while greeting her.

"Morning." Chiaki took her freshly prepared breakfast from Teruteru who was working behind the counter and walked back to the largest table where everyone sat.

Despite only two weeks passing, your class had grown incredibly close. It was likely due in large part to Ms. Yukizome, your homeroom teacher. She brought your class together and was open and accepting of everyone's eccentric personality.

Breakfast passed and the students went to their classroom to begin school. Chisa Yukizome arrived, then promptly left to retrieve the students that didn't show up to class. Several minutes later the entire class was assembled and studies began.

The school day was significantly shorter than other schools just so the students had time to hone their individual talents. You breezed through your four primary classes and your singular elective class, finishing the school day at 1. Once classes ended, the students parted ways, leaving you with the rest of the afternoon to yourself. Stepping out of the classroom, you checked your phone.

_Okay, first things first. My supplies should've arrived today. I've gotta go pick them up._

You left campus, taking a bus to the post office. The fabrics you used in your projects weren't sold at generic craft stores and you had to specially order them. The school didn't have any postal system, and as such, you had to use a PO box.

Inside the post office, you made a beeline to your box, though stopping short when you saw another person standing in the general area.

_Gah, he's right in front of my box._

You noticed the person was a teenager, likely a student. He had opened a box several rows higher than yours and was checking through the few letters he had taken out. You watched him stop on one letter, intensely reading the sender address and flipping the envelope over. He opened the envelope.

 _Um, can't you do that elsewhere? I need to get through._ You didn't confront him immediately, instead giving him a bit more time.

He unfolded the paper within, vehemently reading the information on it. Visibly upset, his grip on the paper grew tighter.

_Is he alright?_

His silent anger eventually receded and he relaxed his muscles. Sighing, he pocketed all his letters and straightened himself up, turning to leave. Noticing you standing behind him, he stopped.

"Ah, I'm sorry. Was I in your way?" His voice was soft and innocent. Any hint of anger that would've prevailed was gone.

"No, you're alright." You forgave him gently. With him now fully facing you, you easily saw all his features. He was wearing a suit, clearly the uniform to some high school. His face was simple, yet handsome. Symmetrical, well-formed, and decently proportioned. His head was adorned with a beautiful arrangement of hair, with various sharp brunette locks protruding off his head in all directions. His body was lean and decently tall.

"I'll get going, then." He bowed slightly, then moved past you, exiting the post office.

 _Handsome._ You let the passing thought enter your head as you went to open your box.  
  


Back at the academy, you pushed open the school doors with your hips, as your hands were full of supplies. You passed Mahiru in the hall, smiling as you went.

"Do you need help? That looks like a lot of stuff to carry." Mahiru, unsurprisingly, was immediately willing to assist.

"I'll be alright, but thank you." You hoisted up the box you held. "Where're you headed?"

"I'm going to meet with a friend."

"Very nice. From the academy? Or...?"

"Well, yeah, from Hope's Peak. She's in the Reserve Course, though."

"The Reserve Course?"

"Yeah, the new addition to Hope's Peak. Haven't you heard of it?"

You turned your body to her, intrigued. "I haven't. What is it?"

"It's an extension of the academy that's available to anyone willing to pay the hefty tuition. You don't have to be scouted out like the Ultimates."

"I see. I didn't know that."

"Yeah, it is pretty recent. Spots filled up quickly, though. Many people want to go to Hope's Peak just for the name alone."

"Yeah, that makes sense." You pondered the existence of the additional program. "Well, thanks for explaining that to me. I won't hold you up anymore."

"Alright. Have a good evening." Mahiru continued on her exit of the building, and you headed to your dorm.  
  


You spent your time working on outfit commissions late into the night. Hours later, you quit, being physically and mentally exhausted. Your ears rang with the phantom sound of the running sewing machine, and your fingers were tender after working tirelessly and meticulously. Leaning back in your chair, you sighed. Multiple mannequins and dress forms crowded around your chair, each now dressed with different outfits in different stages of completions.

 _I need some fresh air before I go to bed._ You stood up, stretching your arms and legs before leaving your dorm, taking only your dorm key with you.

The gate to the school was closed, but it wasn't high enough to stop anyone. It was intended to prohibit vehicles, not people. You easily leapt over it and made your way down the road that exited the academy, lined on either side by thick trees. Alone on the path, you stopped by one of the trees and decided to rest. You sat and leaned against the large trunk, inhaling deeply.

Several minutes passed. The only sound you were was the rustling of the trees and the occasional tweets of birds. Soon another sound was heard, gradually increasing in volume. It was the sound of footsteps walking on the road, heading your direction. Picking up your lowered head, you turned to see someone approaching. It was the boy from the post office. He walked slowly, keeping his eyes on the academy ahead of him. Only once he was just several feet away from you did he notice you.

"Oh! Hello." He stopped upon seeing you.

"Hi." You gave a small wave.

He stared for a second, a stare of curiosity and innocence. Then he spoke again. "You're...the person I saw at the post office, right?"

"Ah, yeah. I remember you."

"Are you a student here?" He pointed at the academy.

"Yeah."

"So you're an Ultimate?"

"Uh, yeah."

"Amazing." His gaze moved back to the school building. Silence prevailed.

"Um, are you heading somewhere? It's pretty late at night."

"Oh, no." He turned back to you. "I'm just out for a walk."

"Would you like to sit and rest for a moment?" You motioned to the grass next to you.

"Oh...sure." He sat close to you, leaning against an adjacent tree. "My name's Hajime, by the way. Hajime Hinata."

"Hajime, what a nice name."

"What's yours?"

You told him your name, and he gave a simple compliment about it as well. Another moment of silence began.

"What high school you from?" you asked, trying to recognize his uniform.

"I'm in the Reserve Course," he said with a sheepish tone.

"I see." You weren't sure how to take that. It was clear he wasn't very proud of it, but you didn't want to prod.

"If you don't mind me asking, what's your Ultimate talent?" Hajime leaned forward with a curious look in his eyes.

"I'm the Ultimate Tailor. I make costumes, outfits, and whatnot."

"Hey, that's pretty cool. How long have you been doing that?"

"As long as I can remember, really. I started out when I was a child."

"That's really impressive. I'd like to see your work sometime, if you don't mind."

"Yeah, I don't mind at all!" You smiled proudly.

"Awesome." There was some hesitation or somberness in his tone, but it was clear he wasn't willing to express why.

You took your eyes off of him, moving them slowly across the surrounding scenery. A cold breeze rustled the trees and dried out your bleary eyes. You blinked a few times to recover.

"Geez, it's getting pretty cold. I should get back." Hajime rubbed his upper arms.

"Oh, alright. You live on campus?"

He stood up. "Yeah. In the dorms near the Reserve Course building."

"Got it," you said, pushing yourself up to your feet too.

"It was nice talking to you."

"Yeah! Yeah, it was great to meet you." You considered asking to meet again but didn't want to be pushy.

"Have a good night."

"You too, Hajime."

The two of you separated, your exit being partially delayed by a few moment of watching him go. Once you arrived at and jumped over the gate, you noticed a familiar person at the doors of the academy.

"Nagito? What're you doing here?" You approached your classmate who stood silently against the wall.

"Hello." His icy voice stung your ears. "I was just getting some fresh air. I didn't realize you were also out here."

"I see." While all your classmates had eccentric personalities, the personality of the man in front of you was more on the eerie side. His occasional rants about hope and talent paired with his self-deprecation was initially off-putting, but now was disregarded as simply a quirk of his personality.

"Who were you talking to?" he asked calmly.

 _Why do you care?_ "His name is Hajime, he's from the Reserve Course." Despite your hesitation, you told him anyway. It's not like it was private information.

Nagito nodded slowly in response, his eyes watching the horizon that Hajime had disappeared behind. "Interesting. Well, shall we go inside?"

Nagito escorted you to your dorm, wishing you a good night before leaving to his own room. You shut your door and locked it.

Once in bed, you let your mind wander with recollections of that day, your thoughts primarily revolving around Hajime Hinata. _I hope I'll see him again._


	2. Chapter 2

A few days passed. You hadn't seen Hajime since that night and you assumed he had forgotten about you. 

_It's kind of a shame._ Your mind was blank as your fingers instinctively ran the fabric through the sewing machine. A sudden ring at the doorbell caused you to jump a bit, but not enough to ruin the fabric. You finished the stitch and went to answer. 

On the other side, to your surprise, was Juzo Sakakura. You saw him around campus from time to time but never spoke to him. You only knew he was head of security. 

"Hey, listen." He got straight down to business as soon as you opened. "If you've got friends in the Reserve Course, that's none of my business. Just don't say they can come over to the main building. It's off-limits for them."

"What? What do you mean?" 

"Some Reserve punk was poking around near the gate. When asked, he said he was looking for you. Just let him know he isn't allowed near here." 

"Um..." You were at a loss for what best to say. "Where is he now?"

"Beats me. Don't let it happen again." Juzo left promptly.

Now informed of this odd occurrence, you decided to head out and see if whoever Juzo was talking about was still around. _Was it Hajime? It couldn't've been._

You walked past the open gate, searching the area for anyone. Near one of the trees, you spotted Hajime, seated and breathing heavily.

"Hajime?" You approached him nimbly. He looked up upon hearing his name, his eyes widening slightly when he saw you. 

"Oh, hey," he said, his voice sounding a bit tight. His clothes looked a bit ruffled and he held a hand over his stomach.

"Are you alright?" You crouched next to him. 

"Yeah, I'm fine." He fixed his posture and nodded. 

"What happened?" He didn't have any visible injury, but he still seemed like he just got out of a fight. 

"Nothing." He smiled again, then stood up. 

"Was it you that was looking for me? Mr. Sakakura told me about someone." It seemed pretty obvious by this point, but you wanted to confirm.

"Yeah. Sorry if he bothered you. I probably should've stayed away."

"It's okay! You-" You stopped, your eyes watching Juzo leave the building. "Um, let's not stick around here. He'll probably get angry about it." You nodded towards him.

"Okay." 

You and Hajime walked away from the school building, wandering slowly around the extensive campus. 

"Were you trying to get in the building?" you asked.

"No, not really. I was just sitting in the nearby trees. That guy, Sakakura, didn't want me sticking around," Hajime grumbled.

"Geez, that's way too uptight. It's not like you're a criminal." 

"I know. It's a bit frustrating." Hajime sighed. "I'm sorry it took me so long to find you again. I just couldn't get in touch with you."

"No need to apologize. Here..." You took out your phone and opened your contacts, then handed him the phone. "If you don't mind, we can exchange numbers. Then you can text me and we can meet up." 

He took your phone. "Yeah, that sounds good." Once his information was typed in, he returned the phone. 

"Awesome." 

You spent more time walking around campus with Hajime, discussing your interests and hobbies. It wasn't difficult to keep conversation going between you two and there was no tension in the air. Finally, you both arrived back near the main school building, though still far enough to avoid lurking security.

"It was nice to see you again," Hajime said. "I'll let you go here."

"Alright," you nodded. "Have a good evening. I'll text you." 

You left him again, this time reassured with possession of his phone number.

Back in your room, you methodically tapped a message to Hajime on your phone. After reading it over a few times, you boldly sent it.

"Hey, guess who?"

Your eyes lingered on the screen, subconsciously desiring an instant response. When one didn't come right away, you forced yourself to set your phone down and turn back to your sewing.

The dress form to your left was adorned with a lavish white dress, flowy and stunning despite its lack of completion. The dress was the first of a large order from a theater in London, explaining that they were putting on a production of Phantom of the Opera. You were currently working on Christine's first costume, ensuring that it held a beautiful yet lowly aura, like a diamond in the rough. You swished the hanging fabric and inspected some of the seams before returning to the area you had left off on, the collar. As you hand-sewed a simple lace edge, you thought about the new friend you obtained.

_So he didn't forget about me. That's nice._

You watched the needle protrude through the snowy fabric.

_That's really nice. I'm glad._

Your slightly callused fingertips pinched the needle and delicately pulled it through.

A buzz from your phone caught your attention. Normally you'd wait until you finished a section of the outfit, but if it were Hajime texting, you didn't want to keep him waiting. While one hand held the needle, the other reached to your phone, unlocking it and checking the message. Hajime had replied.

"Is this you, (y/n)?"

"Yeah it is haha," you texted.

"Awesome"

You weren't sure what to say next. Despite your want for a more interesting conversation, you decided to stick with small talk.

"How was your day today? School going well?"

As you waited for a response, you resumed sewing.

"Yeah today was good. School is so-so, not much happens. I'm pretty glad I was able to meet you again today tho."

"So am I. Sorry again about Sakakura."

"No need to worry. It's frustrating but manageable."

"Do you have anyone else you hang out with?"

"Nah not really. I moved here from a different area of Japan so I don't know any locals. People in my class aren't really close either."

"Dang I'm sorry to hear that. Well you're always welcome to chat with me haha"

"Thank you I appreciate it."

You sighed, having finished a flurry of messages back and forth.

"Maybe our lunches line up? I could come to the Reserve Course building if you wanted during lunch."

"No you shouldn't have to come in here it's alright."

"I really don't mind haha. It doesn't bother me at all."

"I don't want to make you uncomfortable."

"You won't."

"Well, if you're sure. My lunch starts at 11:30 hbu?"

"Yeah same here. I'll try to head over to your building tomorrow ok?"

"Okay. My classroom is 1-A, on the first floor."

"Got it. See ya then!"

"Alright."

It was clear he held reservations about meeting you but you didn't want to push him to talk about it.

_It's sad to see how ashamed he is of the Reserve Course. I understand where he's coming from, but I wish he had a little more security_.

The following morning, you sat in class with Chisa at the front. Your seat ended up being in the back corner, behind Ibuki and next to the window.

"Before class begins, we have a small announcement from one of our classmates. Chiaki?" Chisa motioned to the gamer sitting quietly at her desk, the only noise coming from her being the clicking of the triggers on her mobile game console. Upon hearing her name, she stopped.

"Oh, right," her soft voice said. She stood up, leaving her console behind as she took light steps to the front of the classroom. Once at the front, she turned around and faced the class.

"So, Chisa said that we should try to spend more time together. Um, I just bought the new DLC for Supreme Racers, which is a multiplayer game. If you all are available after classes today, we can play it together."

A momentary silence followed.

"If you want to," Chiaki added.

"Yeah, that sounds great!" Mahiru was the first to consent.

"I should be free if ya wanna hang!" Akane followed, leaning forward in her seat.

_That sounds pretty fun_ , you thought, then proceeded to repeat your notion aloud.

The class gave a general consent to Chiaki's proposal and everybody agreed to meet up after school. Classes resumed and the day passed sluggishly.

When the bell rang for lunch, you packed your things up quicker than usual in an effort to hurry over to the Reserve Course building. Noticing this atypical behavior, Nagito confronted you. He stopped his lazy walk at the side of your desk, looking down on you.

"Why're you packing up? You normally eat in the classroom," he asked softly, pairing his speech with a light smile.

"I'm meeting with someone." You gave a simple answer in return.

"Is it that Reserve Course student?" Nagito pushed.

"Uh, yeah." You weren't sure if he was making small talk or being creepy.

"I didn't know you had friends in the Reserve Course, (y/n)." Mahiru, who sat two seats up and one seat to the right, happened to hear your conversation and joined the group.

"I made one recently." You felt a bit safer with Mahiru's appearance.

"I see." Nagito nodded. "Both of you are getting close with the Reserve students. That's simply..." He stopped, seeming to space out. He looked past you blankly.

"You good, Nagito?" You zipped up your backpack and stood up, watching him.

"Oh! Yes, I'm sorry. It's wonderful, really. Both of you. Wonderful." He returned to his train of thought, stammering and nodding.

"Alright," Mahiru responded, her tone tinged with a bit of worry.

"I've gotta get going, then." You slung your backpack over your shoulder and waved to your classmates, giving Mahiru a look saying _sorry to leave you with him_. You left the classroom swiftly, heading to the Reserve Course building.

The building was a bit of a walk away, but nothing excruciating. It looked fairly decent aesthetically, but was clearly suffering from a lack of funding.

_Geez, for being government funded, Hope's Peak really doesn't dedicate any money to their Reserve Course._

You entered the building, passing through the lobby and finding the halls of classrooms. There weren't any security guards or hall monitors, but the halls were beginning to fill with students leaving to find a place for lunch. You stood out for not having on a school uniform, but nobody said anything about it. Pushing through the waves of students, you made your way to classroom 1-A and slid open the door.

Inside, several small groups of friends were crowded together, talking and eating at their desks. In the corner desk, you instantly spotted Hajime Hinata.

"Hajime!" You called, weaving through the desks to reach him.

"Oh, hey!" He perked up a bit upon hearing and seeing you, lifting his head off of his palm.

"Can I just take a chair?" You stood at his desk, looking around at the empty seats surrounding him.

"Yeah, go ahead. Nobody cares."

You took a chair from the desk in front of his and rotated it 180 degrees, leaving it positioned across from Hajime. You sat down and opened your backpack, taking out a pre-prepared bento box you picked up from the cafeteria that morning. You set it on the table and opened it up.

"That looks pretty good." Hajime noted your food choice. He seemed to have some sandwich from a convenience store, clearly lower in quality than your meal.

"You want some?" You offered a sushi roll wedged between your chopsticks.

"Oh, no. It's alright." Hajime declined.

"Maybe I'll try to sneak you a box. They have them in the cafeteria every morning for pickup."

"You don't have to."

"It's no big deal. Don't say no to a free lunch."

"If you insist."

You ate in silence, avoiding awkward unnecessary eye contact. You shuffled your rice around quietly. Suddenly, you felt something push into your foot, then immediately withdraw.

_I think that was his foot._

"S-sorry." Hajime spoke several moments after the fact.

"It's alright," you laughed.

"Uh, so tell me more about yourself. I don't know much about you besides your Ultimate talent."

"Oh, well...um..."

"Anything is okay." He had a way of speaking that invited you to talk freely, like there was no judgment.

"Obviously I'm into sewing, and I like shopping. Taking a look at other clothes is pretty fun. I play video games every now and then."

"You watch anything?"

"Whatever's popular, usually. I've seen a few anime, too."

"Awesome. What're your favorites?"

You spent a bit more time with Hajime until around five minutes before the bell rang. You said you had to leave early to get a head start back to the school building. You said your goodbyes and left, returning to your own classroom.

After classes were finished, you and your classmates remained in the classroom while Chisa left to finish some paperwork and Chiaki went to get her games. Nekomaru joined her. You fiddled around on your phone, playing free mobile games and checking your notifications. While you swiped little virtual gummies into groups of three or more, you received a text from Hajime.

"Hey just got out of class. What are you up to?"

You tapped on the message to open up the conversation room.

"Just finished class too. My classmates and I are doing some activities together tho."

"Oh neat! Sounds like fun."

"Yeah haha." You briefly considered inviting him, but were then reminded of the forbiddance of Reserve students into the main school building. That, plus the fact that nobody in your class really knew him. It probably would be awkward. "I might be a bit busy so I don't know how often I can text."

"That's okay!" Hajime responded. "I've got errands to run anyway. Talk to you later."

"Sure thing."

Chiaki returned with some consoles, followed by Nekomaru carrying a large TV and some extra cables.

"Geez! Where'd you get that thing?" Kazuichi stood upon seeing her.

"From the warehouse," Chiaki replied.

"They've got a ton of them in there." Nekomaru set the TV down on one of the desks.

"We should rearrange the desks," Sonia suggested. "Let's make room to properly see the screen."

The class complied with the will of the Ultimate Princess, moving the chairs and desks to get the desks out of the way and the chairs situated in front of the TV. At Chiaki's suggestion, four chairs were placed closest to the screen, as only four players could play at a time.

It was really fun to play with your classmates. You weren't an elite gamer and certainly nowhere near Chiaki's level, but you still had a good time. Most of your classmates were at your level or lower so it wasn't horribly unbalanced. Partway through Chisa joined the group and you played a few rounds against her. Teruteru came in with small snacks later on, and the class ended up gaming into the early evening.


	3. Chapter 3

You met with Hajime every day for lunch, successfully bringing him a second lunch from your cafeteria. The two of you talked much easier than before, learning more and more about each other. You laughed, ate, and cherished the time spent with each other. 

You sped into the 1-A classroom midday Friday. Hajime was anticipating you eagerly. 

"Hey, how are you?" You turned your designated chair to face Hajime and sat down, taking out the two bento boxes you brought. 

"I'm doing good. We're past all the pleasantries at the beginning of the year, so now we've got actual coursework to do. It's getting difficult." 

"Same here. Balancing schoolwork and commissions is a pain." You also retrieved two sets of packaged chopsticks, extending one to give to Hajime.

His fingers grasped it, accidentally lightly touching yours. Nothing was said about it as you released your hold quickly. 

"Well, thank you for the food." Hajime put his hands together for a few moments before breaking apart his chopsticks and digging in. 

You did the same, arranging your rice into small clumps to pick up. 

"Well, who're you?" A voice from behind caught your attention. You turned to see a female student, a Reserve Course student. You didn't recognize her, but she was immediately looking down on you with scorn. 

"I-I'm sorry?" You stuttered. You heard a small sigh of annoyance from Hajime. 

"You're not in the Reserve Course, are you. You an Ultimate?" Her tone never faltered from one of disgust. 

"Um, yeah. I am." Your instant reaction to her tone was a feeling of sheepish embarrassment. 

"Natsumi, back off. It's fine." Hajime leaned back in his seat, eyeing the girl. 

"A nobody like you's got no room to talk. This is a conversation between Ultimates."

"You're an Ultimate? I don't recognize you." Your comment was intended as an observation, but she took it as an insult. 

"I'm not an Ultimate _yet,_ dumbass. It's only a matter of time before the Main Course recognizes me, though." 

"Right." You took her words with a grain of salt. "What Ultimate-worthy talent do you have?"

"I'm going to be the Ultimate Little Sister." She smiled, placing her hands on your shared desk with Hajime. "You're probably in my brother's class, right? He's Fuyuhiko." 

"Yeah, I know him. I didn't know he had a sister." 

"He certainly does. The moment there's an opening in your class, intentionally or not, you better believe I'm going to fill it." 

"Intentionally? What are you going to do?" You didn't put it past the sister of a yakuza to resort to drastic measures.

"Just quit it, Natsumi. They're not going to accept you." Hajime straightened his posture, looking upon Natsumi with stern eyes. 

"At least I'm _trying_ I to reach my dreams instead of staying in this pigpen like you. You wouldn't understand what it's like to truly be determined, deadbeat." Natsumi's volume raised considerable as she hissed at your friend. Hajime remained seated but showed no signs of retreat. She didn't intimidate him. 

"Don't threaten the Main Course students. Just because you're in a yakuza family doesn't mean you have power over everyone. At this rate, you'll end up getting yourself and maybe your brother expelled." Hajime gave her a harsh warning. 

"Tch. You'd better watch your back. Nobody will notice if a Reserve Course halfwit goes missing unexpectedly." She left you with those words as she turned on her heels and marched away. 

"Seriously? Was that a death threat?" You said your words quietly as you watched her slide shut the classroom door.

"Yeah, seems like it." Hajime spoke in a tone that left it difficult to discern his reaction. 

"Geez." You crossed your arms on the desk, staring at the imperfections in the sealed wood. "That makes me really worried. She _is_ a yakuza, after all."

"I know." His eyes remained on the door that Natsumi exited from.

"Should we report this? It's worth getting faculty involved."

"No. Reserve Course teachers have better things to do. They don't get paid enough to bother with our issues." Hajime finally broke his stare, turning his gaze to you. "I'll take care of it on my own. I can keep myself safe." 

"Are you sure? This is a serious issue." You lifted your head to meet his eyes. 

"Yes." His face was firm, but his tightly clenched fists demonstrated an otherwise hidden anxiety. 

"I want to help if I can. I believe in you, but..." 

"But what? There's no need to worry." Hajime nodded to reaffirm his statement. "Class is going to start soon. You should probably get going." 

"Damn," you said as you checked the clock on the back wall of the room. "You're right." 

You gathered up your untouched lunch and rotated your chair back to where it was. "Keep in touch with me, okay? I'm just really worried."

"I will. I promise."

"You mean it?" 

Hajime stared for a few moments, then broke a smile. He laughed lightly and extended his right pinky to you. "Of course I mean it."

You locked your pinky with his, feeling warmth just from the minimal contact. "I'll hold you to that. See you later." You couldn't help but smile in return and linger in the moment. You finally broke the hold and left the classroom. 

You arrived in the classroom for Ultimates a few minutes before class started. You decided to truly take action to protect Hajime, starting with talking to your classmates. You spotted the short-tempered and just straight up short yakuza and approached him hurriedly. 

"Fuyuhiko, I need to talk to you." You stopped at his desk. His pant-clad legs were up on his desk, crossed. His eyes and fingers were focused on his phone and he didn't stop upon hearing you. 

"Fuyuhiko," You called again.

"What is it?" 

"Fuyuhiko, did you know your sister is here? She's in the Reserve Course."

"The fuck you goin' on about?" He didn't immediately believe you.

"She is! Natsumi's her name, right? Didn't you know she came here?"

Your persistence got him to put his phone down. He crossed his arms and glared up at you. "I didn't know. How'd you learn this?"

"I have lunch with a Reserve Course student. She came up and talked to me today."

"Is that so?" He tried to seem as disinterested as possible.

"Listen, Fuyuhiko. Her and my friend got into a little argument and she threatened to get rid of him. She also threatened our classmates. She's dead set on getting into this class with you as an Ultimate."

"And?" He absorbed your words but didn't drop his guise of a snobbish yakuza. 

" _And?!_ Look, I know you're a yakuza and stuff like this is normal for you, but I truly don't want anyone to die. Not my classmates, and not my close friend."

"Geez, I get it. Whaddya want me to do about it?" 

"Just keep an eye on her? Talk to her? I'm not going to do anything to her myself, but I want to do what I can to protect my friends. Especially the one in the Reserve Course. There's hardly any security over there."

"Fine, I'll talk to her. I'm not promising anything concrete though."

"Alright. Thank you." You straightened your posture. You glanced up to see Peko standing in the corner of the room, glaring at you with piercing eyes. 

_Why's she looking at me like that?_

Class started and you carried on with your studies, trying to ignore the constant biting worry about the day's events. Hajime texted you as soon as school was out, assuring you of his safety. 

"Hey hope class was good. I'm going to be heading to the post office today so I won't be off campus for very long."

You read the text on your way out of the classroom. _I'm worried about him going alone. Maybe I should join him._

"I can come with you if you want. Safety in numbers right? haha." 

"Sure if it's not too much of a hassle. I'll be at the campus gate."

Once consent was obtained, you hurried to your room to drop off your school supplies and grab your wallet, shoving it along with your dorm key into your custom pants pocket. 

Approaching the gate, you saw Hajime leaning against the short brick wall, typing something on his phone. His school bag was still slung over his shoulder. White wired earphones trailed from his phone to his ears and his head nodded slowly to the beat of the song he listened to. He looked relaxed and content. It was pretty. 

"Hey! Hajime." You stopped at his side, waving within his eyesight to get his attention. 

"Hey." He took out his earphones and thrust them and his phone in his pocket. "Thanks for joining me." 

"Sure. I wasn't busy anyways." You lied, knowing your impending commissions were always keeping you busy. 

You both caught the next bus, weaving your way through the aisle to find open seats. Two were open at the back next to the window and you claimed them hastily, Hajime giving you the window. 

"It's always so cramped in here," you said, holding yourself tightly together. 

"I know. Smelly, too." Hajime sighed, setting his bag on his lap. 

You checked your phone in silence. Then you checked the window. Then you checked the people in the bus. Then you checked Hajime on your right. He seemed to be doing the same as you. You met eyes with him once, and he smiled. 

"You want to do anything else while we're out?" Hajime offered. 

"Yeah, I'd like to! I'll see what's nearby." You checked your phone for nearby attractions. "There's a video arcade close to here. Do you like those?" 

"A video-" The bus suddenly made a hard right, causing all the passengers to sway left harshly. Hajime crashed into you and you crashed against the window. Several curses and groans were heard throughout the bus. 

"Geez, sorry!" Hajime immediately peeled himself off of you and put a hand on your shoulder. "Are you okay?" 

You laughed, rubbing your head. "Yeah, I'm okay. It's alright." 

"Okay." You felt a little squeeze on your shoulder before he let go. "That video arcade sounds good. I haven't been to any in this city yet."  
  


You hopped off at your designated bus stop and took the short walk to the post office. 

Hajime opened his sparse box and took out the few letters within. Staying in front of his box, he checked through them.

"Anything interesting?" You leaned against the wall, watching him sift through the envelopes. 

"Not really. I just check often because my parents send letters."

"That's interesting." Your own parents didn't get in touch often and when they did, it was through a phone call or a text.

"Yeah. They started ever since I came here. I think they just prefer the long-distance and time-consuming way." He ended up on the last letter, likely the one from his parents.

"I see." You couldn't understand the motive behind that sort of communication. You wondered what his parents were like. 

"Alright, I'll take a look at these later." Hajime shoved the letters in his bag. "Let's get going." 

"Okay. The arcade is just a little walk." 

The tall skyscrapers of Tokyo towered over you as you walked alongside Hajime. The city bustled with activity and was filled with the sounds of everyday people going about their everyday business. The almost stationary traffic moved slower than the hurried pedestrians on the sidewalk, a mess of people you were swept up in. You and Hajime were forced to stand close to stay together and occasional tugs on the arm or shoulder kept you anchored together. 

You both arrived at the arcade. It was a little hole-in-the-wall place, not easy to spot. "Come on, let's get inside." You pulled him into the dark arcade area. The atmosphere drastically shifted from one of a bustling city to one of a neon castle. Hajime followed you inside and momentarily marveled at the scene before joining you to go have fun.


End file.
